This invention relates to a paging system comprising various central stations, each of which controls a number of pager apparatus. Each central station contains a profile or a listing of transmission services for each of the pager apparatus associated with that station. The profile includes, among other information, a listing of plural identification numbers to which a pager apparatus will respond, screening capabilities to limit who can reach the called party, echo capabilities to advise the caller of the completion of a paging call, and other items.
Paging systems are well known in the art. The paging systems operate wherein a calling party sends a message to the control station or clearing house which then transmits the page to the pager apparatus. The pager apparatus receives a signal resulting from the call and includes an audio and/or visual indicator associated with it to inform the called party that he has been paged. In some paging systems, a numeric field such as the telephone number of the calling party is displayed on the pager apparatus. In others, limited messages can also be transferred from the calling party to the called party through the central station.
Generally, the individual placing the call is referred to as the caller, and the individual holding the pager apparatus as the called party. Paging apparatus differ from telephone equipment in that pagers can only receive remotely transmitted signals and alert the called party but they do not have the capability of transmitting responses. Thus, they cannot support real time, two-way communication. Hereinafter, reference to a pager, pager apparatus or receiver, refers to a receive only device of this type.
Various paging systems have been well known in the art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,969 issued to A.B. Levine describes a paging system wherein a transmitting station automatically receives and transmits limited content coded signals from a caller, and automatically sends out messages to remotely located receivers. The pager receivers include a video display panel for displaying messages, and a memory for storing the messages for later retrieval and display.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,480, issued to A.B. Levine, further improves the aforementioned invention by expanding the size and scope of the transmitting station to comprise a central broadcast station capable of serving a large number of subscribers at greater distance from the station. It also provides completely automated operation in paging subscribers and transmitting messages thereto in response to a large number of callers. The pager receiver described by Levine requires that the station include an automatic answering device for instructing a telephone caller to dial an alpha-numeric address that selects one of the pager receivers and additionally instructs the caller to dial a further alpha-numeric limited content message to be transmitted to the selected receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,860, to Toshihiro Mori, describes a radio paging method for use in transmitting radio call signals from a subscriber""s substation through a base station to pager receivers in the form of a radio call signal, the message information is divided into a plurality of species to which key codes are assigned, respectively. The radio paging method described therein provides for rapid transmission of a wide variety of message information without the need for special input devices. Thus it is possible to increase greatly the calling rate in each radio channel. It also provides for drastic reduction of reception sensitivity at each pager receiver despite a substantial increase in transmission rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,272 to Nishimura et al provides for a paging communication system adapted to transmit an individual calling code from a base station to a plurality of receivers assigned to a particular group number. This invention circumvents the problem of conventional paging systems that are unable to inhibit information to a particular receiver within the same group. Furthermore, this invention inhibits information to those receivers that have as yet no renewed contracts for using the communication system by paying due rental fees.
While such paging systems have attempted to provide improved features, thus far, paging systems have not been able to provide a system that can be universal with pager use by each and every individual and yet individualized for selective features. Also, thus far, there has not been provided a system wherein the caller is billed for the call rather than the called party.
Additionally, typical paging systems include a central station which does little more than serve as an information transmission facility. Such systems may provide switching, forwarding or routing of the paging call. The call is initiated by the caller and the central station transmits the page to the called party. If the central station is in the nature of an answering service or a secretary, they can select which calls get through, but such selectivity is achieved by secretarial decision and restriction and not through automatic implementation of selection criteria established by the called party. Furthermore, there is no response given to the caller to assure him that the page has in fact been transmitted.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved paging system which can be utilized by a large segment of the population and yet provides unique individualized selected services and features to each pager holder.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which gives the called party the ability to define the parameter of the calls that he will receive.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which includes a central station having a number of pager apparatus associated with it with a unique set of profile information stored for each of the subscribers associated therewith.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which can be used to call selectively an individual pager apparatus, a group of pager apparatus, or all pager apparatus associated with the central station.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system having a number of central stations each of which contains a plurality of pager apparatus associated with it, and having the ability of one central station to transfer calls to another central station.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system wherein the caller is billed for the transmission of the page call to the called party.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system wherein a pager holder can restrict the paging calls addressed to him through the use of a lockout provision, such as a password, or other security identifier, or through the use of a restrictive list of ID numbers that should be transmitted, or through the callers decision to accept a call after he receives the ID of the caller on his page apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system wherein a central station can store voice messages for a called party and send out an indication to the called party that it has a voice message stored and waiting for him.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which permits each of the pager apparatus associated therewith to be called through more than one identifying number.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which operates on a time synchronization arrangement to permit addressing groups of pager apparatus in-each time frame thereby permitting reduced power utilization by the pager apparatus associated therewith.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital paging system which operates on a protocol achieving data synchronization, time synchronization, and message addressing to each of one or a plurality of pager apparatus associated therewith.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system permitting both local and global commands, as will be hereinafter defined, to the pager apparatus associated therewith.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which permits transmission of command signals to control remotely the pager apparatus associated therewith.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system capable of processing and transmitting paging data to a single or, simultaneously, to a plurality of pager holders, such that each pager holder is identified by at least one distinct, and preferably, by a plurality of identifying means shared by other pager apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system permitting transmission of emergency signals to override any calls in progress to a particular pager apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a paging system permitting a pager apparatus holder to prioritize the messages he is to receive and to permit their display in a predetermined order.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a paging system which can limit the number of calls to be transmitted to a particular pager apparatus associated with the system.
An additional object of the present invention is to allow the pager to receive pages at desired times that may not correspond to time slots assigned to the pager.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the pager with audible page suppression and page message suppression capability for callers that the pager owner designates to exclude from activating the pager.
Another object is to provide pager echo capability for echoing the paging signal to a third party not the calling or called party.
An object of the present invention is to provide third party transaction authorization capability of a transaction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide random passwords for transaction authorization.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an echo back to the caller of the completion of the paging transmission allowing the caller to verify that the page has occurred.
The aforementioned and other objects, and features of the invention, are brought about in accordance with the present invention, wherein there is provided a paging system including at least one central station with a plurality of pager apparatus associated therewith. A caller utilizes a telephone or other electronic means to place a call to the central station, specifying the particular pager apparatus he wishes to page and send a particular message to that pager apparatus. The central station includes appropriate means for receiving the information from the caller. Processing means at the central station processes the information in accordance with a profile of information provided by the called party and the central station. Transmission means at the central station responds to the processed information, signals the specified pager and transmits the information relative to the message being sent. Calculating means associated with the system bills for the transmission of the call. It should be understood that reference to a xe2x80x9ccallxe2x80x9d includes not only telephone calls but also calls through other electronic means.
Additionally, the central station contains a profile of information for each of the pager apparatus associated therewith. The profile is a set of information stored within a computerized storage capability at the central station. It relates to the mode of operation and transmission services requested by the particular pager apparatus holder. Heretofore, in previous paging systems, the central station essentially only provided information transmission of the page from the caller to the called party. If the called party temporarily moved to another location, he would store a forwarding number in the central station thereby allowing the central station to forward his call. Thus, paging was simply a matter of transmitting a call from the caller to the called party.
In previous paging systems, any restriction on which a caller could get through was done almost in a quasi-manual way. By way of example, the pager holder would only give out his page number to a select number of people in order to restrict anyone else from paging him. Alternatively, he would only give his secretary or answering service his page number and they, in turn, would provide the selectivity. In all cases, however, the central station served only as a focal point for receiving paging calls and for determining the number for calling the pager apparatus. It did not provide for an intelligence processing, selectivity, or capabilities for the called party to specifically tailor the type of service to be received. The called party could not define the parameters for automatic control of the type and particulars of calls that were to reach him.
In the present system, the profile information stored at the central station is information which is set up for each individual pager apparatus and includes numerous types of information that a called party can set up at the central station. This information can restrict the type of calls, select the type of messages to get through, determine the various numbers by which the called party will respond, determine the type of signal that the called party wants to receive, and provide other characteristic information with regard to the service desired. When a call from a caller comes in, the central station first processes the call based on the profile information selected by that called party. Based upon the type of profile information, it then determines whether the call will go through, the type of alerting signal it will emit, the requirement that the caller insert an ID number, the selection of particular caller ID numbers for priority paging, and other information with respect to the page. It should be appreciated that this ability of a paging system to provide processing of paging information and not merely transmission of paging data is unique. Furthermore, the use of an information profile for processing the page wherein the called party can initially define the parameters of the calls it receives, is also unique with the present system. Thus, processing is used in the sense of acting upon the incoming call to make such changes and modifications as are needed to comply with the profile of information set up by the called party.
By way of example, information in the profile can include various numbers to which the pager apparatus will respond. While in typical prior art systems, each pager is uniquely identified by a single number, in the present paging system, each pager apparatus can be called by means of a plurality of identification numbers. The pager can respond to its own assigned number as well as to a number which is part of a corporate or family group, etc. Thus, if one desires to place a call to all members of a corporate group, one can do so through a single call which will be transmitted through the identification number associated with that company group. Likewise, one can call all members of a family group with a single call, and so forth.
Moreover, the identification number can include not only the number itself, but also prefixes, suffixes, or additional extension numbers. Thus, a particular identification number can be assigned to a family and an additional suffix to each of its members. Thus, each pager apparatus can be particularly selected not only by the family telephone number, but by the individual member of the family through the entry of an additional prefix or suffix. It should be noted that while these identification numbers can be accommodated in the profile information, they could also be stored in the memory of the pager apparatus.
There will also exist a group profile for all the pager apparatus belonging to a group such as a corporate group, a family group, etc. Each individual profile is linked to all the group profiles with which the pager is associated. Information can therefore be shared between related profiles. When a caller calls a number which relates to a group of pagers, such a corporate or a family group, or the like, the system checks the group profile and determines which pagers are associated with that group. Typically, each pager responds to more than one identification code. Thus, in addition to its own unique identification code it will also respond to the code for the group or groups to which it belongs. Normally, all the identification codes to which a pager responds are built in the memory of the individual pager units. These ID codes could be altered remotely. When a pager is added to another group, it includes the additional group identification code or the existent pager of the new group could be remotely reprogrammed to include the new code. Alternatively, it is possible to list all the individual pager codes which belong to the group. When a group page is received, it will transmit the individual pager codes to all members of the group rather than a single group code. Furthermore, the system can have both a group code for original participants and individual codes for those pagers added on which have not yet been updated with new apparatus having the ability to receive the group code.
Other types of services can also be associated with each profile. The pager apparatus holder can prioritize the types of messages that he wants to receive in a certain order, and these will, likewise, be displayed within that particular priority order.
Additionally, certain messages can be restricted so that the pager holder will selectively receive only certain messages. The restrictions can be included at several different levels. The first is where the called party requires that each caller dial a preassigned password to allow his page to go through. In this way, the called party can give the password only to individuals of his choice, thereby, completely controlling access to his pager. The passwords are also stored in the profile information to be matched up and to ensure that the correct password is inserted for that called party. A second level of security can be included. In this case, the called party gives a list of personal identification numbers to the central station for inclusion in his profile of information. As each caller dials into the central station and thereafter dials the number of the called party, he is instructed to insert his own ID number. The ID number may be the telephone number of the caller or another ID number associated with the telephone calling card that the caller may have. Once the ID number is inserted, the profile information compares the ID number with the list of ID numbers stored in the profile information for that called party. If there is a match, the page will go through. Otherwise, the caller is notified that he is not cleared for making that paging call.
A third level of screening allows every call to go through. However, along with the call, the caller must again insert his identification number. When the page is transmitted to the called party, the ID number of the caller is also transmitted. Alternatively, the central station can match the ID number of the caller with his actual name and, instead of transmitting to the called pager the ID number of the caller, it can instead transmit the name of the caller. As a result, all page calls get through to the called party. However, the called party can now determine who is calling him and can selectively decide to whom he wants to respond.
A further level is provided in the pager receiver whereby the pager holder can indicate that a page just received is by an unwelcome party and deactivate the audible page signal and the page message for future calls by that caller. Subsequently the deactivation can be cancelled.
As part of the profile information for a particular called party other information to be elicited from the caller. For example, the level of urgency can be elicited, etc. The profile information can also include handling of emergency calls, checking caller ID numbers, times when paging calls can be transmitted, and other parameters desired by the called party.
Particular pager apparatus can also be limited within their profile so as to receive only a restricted number of calls. This can be used to avoid abuse by children, preventing them from making multiple paging calls to friends. The profile can also identify the type of sound and visual signals to be emitted for certain types of calls. Thus, the pager apparatus holder can request to be signalled with one type of signal for certain calls and with another signal for other calls. This is especially useful for emergency calls which can emit a specified audio signal at the pager apparatus. Furthermore, emergency signals will generally override any type of ongoing calling signal previously received.
The central station also contains-the ability for storing voice messages. While these cannot be transmitted to the pager, an indication can be transmitted to the pager that a voice message is being stored for it at the central station. The pager apparatus holder can then call in to the central station and receive the voice message waiting for him.
Through the use of a plurality of central stations, each of the central stations has associated therewith a number of pager apparatus. A particular caller calls the nearest central station and thereafter dials the telephone number of the pager apparatus he desires to page. He then enters his message, thereafter entering his own billing number or telephone number to be billed for the transmission of the call. There could also be other options available or built in simple defaults. For example, billing the phone number called from if no ID or billing number is entered.
The entire paging system can be set up with an xe2x80x9c800xe2x80x9d toll free number. Any caller simply calls into the xe2x80x9c800xe2x80x9d number and he is automatically connected to the closest central station which will receive his page. The central station into which the caller is connected then checks the called number and determines the appropriate central station of the called party and transfers the call to that central station.
The central station to which the particular called pager apparatus is associated will handle the message for the called pager apparatus. If the called party happens to be associated with the same central station to which the caller placed the call, the message will be processed only to that individual central station. However, if the called party is associated with a different central station, the central station of the caller will make contact the central station of the called party, query the called party""s profile and transmit the call to the central station of the called party. The called party""s central station will handle the transmission to the pager apparatus of the called party.
Through the use of the profile information, the holder of the pager apparatus can arrange to forward his calls. In that case, the caller will first call the called party. The central station of the called party will check the profile of the called party and determine from the profile where to transfer the call. It will then forward the call to the new central station at which the called party is temporarily located. In each case, it is the home central station with which the called party is associated that will handle the storage of information for that called party. This process is transparent to the caller.
The paging system operates in accordance with a preassigned protocol. By way of example, the protocol can include a frame of information commencing with a data synchronization, followed by a global code signal and thereafter a time synchronization signal. This is then followed by sequences of paging signals with each paging signal containing the address or identification number of the called pager apparatus followed by the particular message addressed to it. Instead of and/or along with the messages, particular control codes can also be utilized to control the operation of the particular pager apparatus either to enable or disable indicators, provide special indications or signals to the pager apparatus. Global codes are such that signals affect all of the pager apparatus within the central station. Local codes are those that affect less than all of the pager apparatus that belongs to the particular central station.
Pagers can be grouped to be associated with different frames. A pager belonging to a particular group can only receive messages during the particular time interval that the frame is being transmitted. During the transmission of the other frames, the pagers of this group can all be powered down. Thus, for a particular short time interval, the frame which is sent out in accordance with the predescribed protocol will only address a limited number of pager apparatus, all operating during the same time interval. Thereafter, a second frame is sent out following the same protocol but this time addressing a second group of pager apparatus, again having their own common time. After all of the groups of pagers have been addressed, the sequence repeats with the message going back to the first group. During the time period the pager apparatus of a particular group are not operational to receive information, their particular pager apparatus can be switched to a low power mode, providing for low power consumption and long life of the pager battery, so as to reduce its cost, increase its longevity, and add convenience.
The system can also include an auditorium cutoff which provides a signal to all pager apparatus within a specified area to cut off operation of that pager apparatus so as to prevent any audio and/or visual indications from disturbing others within that area, such as in theaters, concert halls, etc.
The system can also confirm the paging transmission to a receive only pager in several different ways. The paging transmission can be echoed simultaneously or within a proximate time interval to the caller through the telephone system using a wireless receiver at the central station that receives all the paging transmissions, thereby allowing the system to confirm that paging transmissions have occurred and echo that confirmation back to the caller through the telephone network. The callers pager can also be paged as confirmation. The paging transmission can also be echoed to a third party via the pager of the third party or through the telephone network, allowing a third party to confirm the paging transaction by the calling party.
The third party echo may be transmitted before the page is transmitted to the called party, in which case it can be coupled with an authorization code to a third party who is the payer of the account. The third party would then be required to call into the central station with authorization before the transaction by the caller is allowed to proceed. The payer of the account might in fact be the called party, in which case the called party would be the party to whom the third party echo and authorization code would be transmitted. In that case, the called party""s calling into the central station with the authorization code would signal the called party""s willingness to accept the reversal of the charges for the page.
During a paging call the system can provide an additional level of security by sending to the pager of the caller an authorization code which is a random number which the caller then enters using the keypad of the telephone, thereby confirming that the pager holder is authorizing the page.
Transmission of authorization codes to the receive only pagers of the payers of the account may be triggered by initiations of transactions other than paging. Authorization of telephone calls or credit card merchandizing may also be accomplished through this system.
It is also possible to allow the receiver to receive pages in time slots other than those predesignated by the system.
These together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.